TALLAHASSEE —A bill passed earlier this year meant to protect springs, in part by requiring septic tank inspections every five years, is too expensive in a tight economy and should be repealed, state Sen. Al Lawson said Tuesday.

Lawson, D-Tallahassee and a candidate for Congress, sent a letter to Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, asking that legislation to repeal the requirement be brought up if lawmakers return later this year to address economic issues.

The Chiefland Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a ribbon cutting for one of its newest members The Law Office of Kenton Whitmer on Friday, Sept. 3, at noon. The public is invited to welcome Kenton Whitmer to our community. The practice is located at 117 N.E. 1st St. in Chiefland.

Pardue Land Surveying moves

Pardue Land Surveying has relocated to 315 N. Main St., Chiefland, next to Jim King Realty. The company's Web site is parduelandsurveying.com. To contact the firm, call 493-0640.

Levy County Property Appraiser Oz Barker told the Chiefland Rotary Club there is one thing everyone should keep in mind about his work. "I don't do taxes, I do assessments," he said addressing the group on Aug. 11.

The Levy County Commission has a workable budget on the table, but they are not yet finished with it and the margin for error – handling emergencies — is only $500,000. Deputy Clerk Sheila Rees, who handles county finances, said the budget document drawn up by her, County Coordinator Freddie Moody and Clerk of Courts Danny Shipp uses $4.5 million in reserves to balance the county’s accounts and has only $500,000 to cover emergency expenditures in the $53 million budget. “That’s not a real safe place to be, having reserves of o

A Miami developer and business owner says he wants to build a 50-acre solar farm in Chiefland. Carl Nurse, managing director of Solargy Systems Inc., said Monday he's trying to pull funding together for the project, which, according to Nurse, could cost as much as $80 million.

One of Chiefland High School's most beloved coaches has officially resigned from his position. Wayne Weatherford stepped down from his post as softball coach last Tuesday, citing health issues. "Maybe it's just a good time to step down," Weatherford said.

Looking for ways to help both residents and the environment, the city of Williston is taking a ginormous leap into the 21st century by pursuing a solar energy system to power the city. Tuesday city leaders met with interested residents and elected officials to pitch their plan that will make Williston less dependent on fossil fuels. City Manager Marcus Collins and Adam Hall, the city’s project manager and land development regulations administrator, gave a 30-minute overview of their vision for the city to about 30 people that included State Reps.

The tension that has been building between the Levy County Commission and the Sheriff's Office over spending and budgets became an open matter of record at the commissions Tuesday meeting when the sheriff's request for $38,000 in contingency money was denied. Commissioner Danny Stevens of Williston made the motion to give the sheriff some of the money the commission held back from this year's budget to cover any last-minute inmate medical bills. But the motion died for lack of a second. The sheriff did not make an appearance to present the request.

Amanda Douglas, the former director of the Nature Coast Business Development Council and Enterprise Zone Development Agency, is being formally charged with two counts of grand theft and two counts of scheme to defraud in connection with money missing from agency accounts. Assistant State Attorney Glenn Bryan confirmed on Wednesday that Douglas has made restitution of the funds, and that he has recommended she be released on her own recognizance.